Hours on M12 of 312-8

[RED-Z06 2,221]

7 hours ago, Wild Bill 633 said:

And Briggs and Scrap Em just threw up the white flag on Simplicity and Snapper.

They really fumbled alot of brands they bought in their frenzy from 02-08ish.  I knew when they bought Snapper they would drive it into the ground. Toro had the money to build WH...they just didnt have the vision.

 

I think Toro never really wanted to be a Rider company. They were a Turfcare company, Snow blowers, then WH was bought and they just sat on it...kept making the same stuff.  The Xi series was neat but they never really supported it.  Once they bought Exmark..Toro was dead set in production of Z mowers.

Edited November 4, 2023 by RED-Z06

[ebinmaine 67,533]

14 minutes ago, RED-Z06 said:

Toro had the money to build WH...they just didnt have the vision.

I don't DIS-agree with that but I'd also add that the market for garden tractors in the early 2000s was diminishing.  

 

IMHO... After a few years that market has been coming back up. 

Nowadays several manufacturers that sell here in Maine are having a difficult time keeping a "subcompact" tractor in stock. 

To me, subcompact = Garden Tractor.  

I do find it interesting....

 

But that's a different thread subject.  

 

[kpinnc 12,065]

6 hours ago, CCW said:

Good news.  Talking to my neighbor he gave me a possible rebuilder in the next town.  Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

If you can find a good machine shop to bore the cylinder and lap your valves, the rest is quite frankly easy. The service manual is well written. If I can rebuild one, anyone can.

 

The kicker is "good machine shop". 

[CCW 1,295]

12 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

If you can find a good machine shop to bore the cylinder and lap your valves, the rest is quite frankly easy. The service manual is well written. If I can rebuild one, anyone can.

 

The kicker is "good machine shop". 

 

After speaking with the nearby option he let me know that the machine shops really do not want these tiny jobs.  He has had blocks sit in their shop for months before they did anything.  He is happy to do the job but has been frustrated by the machine shop.  

[richmondred01 2,237]

9 minutes ago, CCW said:

 

After speaking with the nearby option he let me know that the machine shops really do not want these tiny jobs.  He has had blocks sit in their shop for months before they did anything.  He is happy to do the job but has been frustrated by the machine shop.  

Finding a quality machine shop is a difficult task now a days. It’s a skill that’s dying out. 
 

Edited November 5, 2023 by richmondred01

[Tuneup 1,433]

30 minutes ago, CCW said:

 

After speaking with the nearby option he let me know that the machine shops really do not want these tiny jobs.  He has had blocks sit in their shop for months before they did anything.  He is happy to do the job but has been frustrated by the machine shop.  

 

I had to take my K301 an hour and a half away to get to a shop - out next to Road Atlanta. He gave the same story - was too busy and would take almost a year to get to it (to turn me off). I told him I had it to the bare block and he said to bring it right in. Still, took 10 days and another 3 hours on the road but she's sweet for that .020 and $150.

 

Oh, story on Snapper. My old - on its 3rd engine out of someone's trash, 86 Snapper Hi-Vac push is getting to be a bit much at my 61 years and 3/4 of an acre of Bermuda every 4 days so went to look at their page and decided I'd drop the dime on their auto-push machine. They are no where to be found. My old dealer in Douglasville where I got my '99 rider said maybe someday. Finally a dealer in Adairsville gave the story: when you call to order, the distributor model was found to have changed. You can't order this or that tractor or mower like in the past. You have to order a standard lot so, if you want 5 push mowers, you have to get 3 Z turns and other stuff "that I don't want". People just stopped ordering and many dropped the brand. I went with the Toro from Home Crappo delivered to my door and am very happy, thus far, with it and its little Briggs. The Snapper rider 11HP is a grass vacuum and the little 86 will be restored for the kids.

[RED-Z06 2,221]

On 11/4/2023 at 1:45 PM, ebinmaine said:

I don't DIS-agree with that but I'd also add that the market for garden tractors in the early 2000s was diminishing.  

 

IMHO... After a few years that market has been coming back up. 

Nowadays several manufacturers that sell here in Maine are having a difficult time keeping a "subcompact" tractor in stock. 

To me, subcompact = Garden Tractor.  

I do find it interesting....

 

But that's a different thread subject.  

 

Its still somewhat diminishing here in the south.  The line between SCUT and GT can be blurry, SCUTS dont usually make good lawn mowers, a bit heavy over 1500lbs and a bit wide of a turning radius along with deck options mainly between 60 and 72.  People that buy a SCUT usually need the loader, or a bush hog.  GTs on the other hand can mow more readily, usually weighing under 1000lbs...and can usually still accept 3pt implements...but not as easily as a SCUT. The SUPER GTs bridged the gap...your Legacy XL, Deere 420/430, WH Dseries, Cub 2070s...but for the money, a SCUT was more, for often less money.